The Detroit Cast Podcast Reaches 1,000 Episode Milestone

The Detroit Cast Podcast Reaches 1,000 Episode Milestone

Detroit, MI, USA – February 1, 2018 – The popular, daily comedy, entertainment and politics podcast The Detroit Cast is set to record its 1,000th episode on Valentine’s Day, February 14. It’s a major milestone and business success story for what started as a labor of love from the ashes of WRIF’s Drew & Mike Show.

From a Kickstarter campaign to a growing business, The Detroit Cast with Mike and Jay has grown into one of the top internet talk shows, racking up the ratings, raising money for charity, and making listeners laugh five days a week.

Mike Wolters enjoyed a remarkable twenty-year run at the top of the ratings as producer and on-air talent for the legendary Drew & Mike in the Mornings. As that show ended its run on Detroit’s 101.1 FM WRIF, Wolters built a professional studio in his home and started podcasting as the crew searched for a new radio home. He was soon smitten with the freedom a podcast allowed: no FCC rules, no traffic report schedules, and no management. As the rest of his team returned to terrestrial radio, Wolters went all in on podcasting and The Detroit Cast was born.

Wolters recruited his lifelong friend Jay, a local attorney and entrepreneur, to be his co-host. Stand-up comic and Specs Howard grad Eric Fadie rounded out the team providing content and comedy behind the scenes.

“The Detroit Cast gets me in a good mood on my drive to work,” says Detroit expat Craig Backus. “I get odd looks from the drivers in the lane next to me because I’m always laughing so hard.”

The Detroit Cast began as a bootstrapping startup. A wildly successful 2014 Kickstarter campaign (with fans doubling The Detroit Cast’s target funding goal in just 30 days) reassured the team they were creating something special. Today, the podcast is propelled by local, regional, and national advertisers.

“We jumped on board during the Kickstarter campaign, and have been blown away by the success we’ve had together,” said Steve Gabbara, General Manager at Szott Ford, one of the show’s earliest backers. “TDC fans are the best. We’re picking up new sales and service customers from our partnership with The Detroit Cast.”

The show doesn’t sound like other podcasts. Wolters’ meticulous attention to the sound quality is one reason, but it’s mostly the easy banter between Mike and Jay and the host of celebrity/news-maker interviews that keep listeners coming back five days a week.

“I feel like Mike and Jay are my best two friends I’ve never met,” says Kim Willams, another TDC listener. “They’re always in my ear. I love to hear their takes on all the movies, TV, and news of the day.”

The Detroit Cast is doing good while doing well.

The podcasters have raised buckets of money for local charities with their outrageous stunts. Most recently, The Detroit Cast listeners donated $60,000 to help the homeless during a series of bits for South Oakland Shelter. The Detroit Cast is a seven-time Podcast Award nominee, receiving nominations in 2015, 2016, and 2017 in Best Comedy, Entertainment, Mature, and People’s Choice categories. The City of Houghton, Michigan even presented The Detroit Cast with its “Key to the City”.

“It’s really incredible what they’ve been able to achieve in this medium,” says Charlie Wollborg of Curve Detroit marketing. “The loyalty and engagement Mike and Jay engender with their fans is far beyond what traditional radio has been able to do. With the podcast refreshing every morning on fans’ iPhones, listeners are catching the whole show each day, instead of just tuning in for a few minutes on their way to work.”

The Detroit Cast has grown into a profitable business and full-time jobs for the team. They handle all the booking, producing, editing, engineering, business development, marketing, and social media in house.

“Mike and Jay are the voice of Detroit,” says Mark Ridley, Owner, Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle. “They are funny, insightful, and I love listening to them. A great job by two professionals!”

The Detroit Cast has blazed its own unique trail in the new podcasting world and is poised to reach 1,000 episodes – a milestone few other shows have met or will ever achieve.

About The Detroit Cast

The Detroit Cast is a 5-day-per-week entertainment podcast, covering daily local and national news, entertainment, politics, sports, and other interesting happenings. The show includes A-list interviews of authors, actors, sports figures, and others of note. The show records out of Radio For One Studios in Franklin, Michigan.